As Europe accelerates efforts to strengthen its position in the global AI race, SoftBank Group has unveiled plans to invest heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure across France. The Japanese technology giant announced a €75 billion program aimed at developing 5 GW of AI data center capacity in the country.
Of the total commitment, €45 billion will be invested over the next 5 years to support the expansion of AI infrastructure. The investment plan is scheduled to be formally announced on Monday.
The first phase of the project will focus on building 3.1 GW of AI data center capacity in the northern Hauts-de-France region by 2031. Key locations include Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain, which are expected to play a central role in the initiative.
According to SoftBank, the project represents its largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe to date and is intended to increase access to high-performance computing capacity as demand for artificial intelligence continues to grow.
Highlighting the significance of the investment, CEO Masayoshi Son said, “AI is entering a new era, and the countries that build the infrastructure for this transformation will shape the future of technology, industry and society.” He added that France’s industrial capabilities, skilled workforce, and long-term vision position it as a potential AI infrastructure hub for Europe.
As part of the rollout, SoftBank will collaborate with Schneider Electric to establish a large-scale industrial production cluster in Dunkirk, supporting the development of the planned data center network.
Investor confidence in SoftBank’s AI strategy has remained strong, with the company’s shares rising more than 70% in 2026. Its AI-related growth is closely linked to holdings in Arm Holdings, whose chip designs are widely used in AI servers and data centers powered by Nvidia systems, as well as its significant investments in OpenAI.
The company has invested more than $30 billion in OpenAI, with gains from its investment reaching $45 billion during the year ended March.
The announcement comes as Europe works to close the gap with the U.S. and China in artificial intelligence. However, high energy costs remain a major challenge for the region’s AI ambitions. Since AI data centers require substantial power, rising energy prices amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict have increased concerns about the long-term competitiveness of data center investments in Europe.
Industry experts believe future data center projects could increasingly shift toward European regions with lower electricity costs, potentially creating both winners and losers across the continent.
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